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Protester confronts police on 19 December 2010. Sannikov and Bondarenko were forced to write begging letters to Lukashenko (Photo: mb7art)

Freed Belarus dissident credits EU sanctions

Belarus has freed two prominent political prisoners - former presidential candidate Andrei Sannikov and his aide Dmitry Bondarenko - in a bid to mend EU relations.

The two men were incarcerated last year for allegedly disturbing the peace and instigating riots after President Alexander Lukashenko's fraudulent re-election on 19 December 2010. Both got a personal pardon from the autocratic leader on Saturday (14 April).

"This is the result of the actions of the European Union ... B...

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Author Bio

Nikolaj joined EUobserver in 2012 and covers home affairs. He is originally from Denmark, but spent much of his life in France and in Belgium. He was awarded the King Baudouin Foundation grant for investigative journalism in 2010.

Protester confronts police on 19 December 2010. Sannikov and Bondarenko were forced to write begging letters to Lukashenko (Photo: mb7art)

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Author Bio

Nikolaj joined EUobserver in 2012 and covers home affairs. He is originally from Denmark, but spent much of his life in France and in Belgium. He was awarded the King Baudouin Foundation grant for investigative journalism in 2010.

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